| of all, I have a confession to make: the title of this | | | | cannot be replaced separately. Can you reprogram |
| article is intended to attract a reader's | | | | the computer or the sensor? No. Finally, the dealer |
| attention… not entirely, however, - it covers | | | | assigned a Master Technician who managed to |
| only small portion of the topic, and is the first in a | | | | balance the tires without major damage to the rims. |
| series with a much wider spectrum that - as a whole | | | | This true story is intended to demonstrate that no |
| - should be entitled as "AN AUTO IGNORAMUS' | | | | repair goes unpunished, and simplicity is a key factor |
| GUIDE TO SURVIVAL". The "You are what you | | | | in overall reliability of any system while reliability is a |
| drive…" part is just as good an opener as any | | | | key factor in avoiding repairs and associated with |
| other. | | | | them hassles not to mention expenses. |
| So why do we choose one vehicle over the other? | | | | Another one: Mercedes Benz feels that it's upscale |
| What drives us - no pun intended - into making | | | | customers cannot shut the door or the trunk lid |
| mostly irrational yet the second largest purchase of | | | | without assistance, and it used a vacuum pump to |
| our lives, the one that most of us will have to | | | | implement the pull-down function. Essentially, this |
| co-exist with for five or more years? I am not a | | | | pump is not any different than a blood pressure |
| psychologist by any means but being in this business | | | | measuring device that can be purchased for $25 at |
| for so many years as I have been, I inevitably came | | | | any drug store while the Benz implementation is sold |
| to some conclusions that you - the reader - can be | | | | by dealers for about $1,000. Plus labor. In fact, there |
| the only judge of. | | | | are a few differences: unlike the MB $1000+ |
| Professional salespeople - whatever their expertise | | | | component, the blood pressure measuring device has |
| might be in - know that the color of a vehicle - | | | | a fancy display, control buttons, power supply, |
| interior and/or exterior - is one of the if not the | | | | electronic controls, etc. |
| most important consideration. Sometimes, however, | | | | And one more: ABS [Anti-Lock Brake System] is a |
| people use more "commonsensual" approach. I knew | | | | very useful device. It's intended to prevent wheels |
| a guy who bought an extremely poorly made yet | | | | from locking up during brake application thus allowing |
| quite expensive vehicle because it had radio control | | | | the driver to maintain "steerability" of the vehicle. |
| on the steering wheel. That guy once barely avoided | | | | Unfortunately, like everything else, the system has its |
| an accident while being busy looking for volume | | | | drawbacks. First of all, it increases braking distance, |
| button… Makes sense? In a sense, it does. But | | | | and this is something salespeople fail to tell the buyer |
| what good do fancy buttons on the steering wheel | | | | when selling every imaginable option. More than that, |
| do when the owner is riding a tow truck or patiently | | | | at one point the American Insurance Institute |
| sitting in a repair shop since both locations are unlikely | | | | reported that vehicles equipped with ABS had a |
| to provide so much sought luxury? Same goes for | | | | greater probability of being involved in an accident |
| heated seats, sunroof, hi-fidelity stereo, and suchlike. | | | | because drivers felt that they could stop on a dime |
| All these features are good only when a. the vehicle | | | | even on pure ice. In fact, ABS only allows to pick the |
| is drivable, and b. they [the features] are operational. | | | | target. Don't get me wrong - this function is a good |
| And if anybody thinks that they do not break, or are | | | | enough reason to have ABS as long as the driver is |
| easy to fix - time to start thinking more realistically in | | | | aware of its shortcomings. |
| order to avoid major disappointments. | | | | Now, why have I started this ABS discussion in |
| It's been pretty hard to choose the examples for | | | | connection with automotive blows and whistles? This |
| these articles since out of about 7000 inspections | | | | is yet another complicated add-on device but unlike |
| I've personally performed - yes, that's SEVEN | | | | heated seats, pull-down trunk lids, etc., it has a |
| THOUSANDS - over the last few years, about 800 | | | | significant practical value… when implemented |
| deserve to be mentioned here - that's more than | | | | correctly. |
| 10%!. Some cases are remarkable because of the | | | | Most manufacturers design ABS system so that in |
| number of unrelated to each other defects at the | | | | case of a failure brakes operate just like on a regular |
| same time. I was involved in 3 claims with 18(!!!) | | | | vehicle not equipped with this feature. |
| independent problems on asingle vehicle. You probably | | | | A few years ago, one of the European "luxury |
| are curious what those vehicle were, aren't you? I will | | | | symbols" had a little problem: all of a sudden, one of |
| let you know when we get to that topic. Promise. | | | | its front wheels would lock up without prior warning, |
| Other noteworthy cases involve outrageous repair | | | | and - considering the fact that driving that vehicle in |
| charges comparable with the price of the vehicle - | | | | normal operating condition was about the same as |
| like a four-year-old Oldsmobile Aurora with 60,000 | | | | driving an 18-wheeler - staying on the road was a |
| miles on the odometer. Two weeks after the dealer | | | | task beyond the capabilities of an average |
| had sold the vehicle, the customer brought it back | | | | driver… During one of the inspections, I |
| with multiple complaints that resulted in a $12,540(!!!) | | | | encountered that problem @ 15 MPH, and it was |
| repair bill. By the way, all defective items were | | | | anything but fun when I found myself at the |
| "minor" (no engine or transmission replacement), and | | | | opposite side of the road. |
| were related to luxury, comfort, and convenience | | | | While we are at the ABS topic, I just could not help |
| features - this case fits perfectly into the subject of | | | | not to show you this pictureof an ABS pump that |
| this article. By the way, do I need to specifically | | | | came from a 4-year old Dodge Avenger, and it's not |
| mention that the Extended Warranty company | | | | the only one I have encountered in this miserable |
| denied payment because of pre-existing condition | | | | condition... Replacement cost - about $1,500, and as |
| while the selling/repairing dealer refused to participate | | | | always, "rust or corrosion" is not covered by |
| since the vehicle was sold "as is"? Now, imagine the | | | | extended warranty. |
| customer's excitement when he learned that on top | | | | And to conclude, look at the following photograph |
| of nearly $20,000 original purchase loan he owned | | | | It depicts a window motor that came from a 4-year |
| $12,540 for repairs... Maybe he should have had that | | | | old Mercedes. Nasty, isn't it? And you still don't know |
| vehicle inspected prior to signing the papers. Just a | | | | how much the dealership would charge for |
| thought... | | | | replacement... and you don't want to know! By the |
| The other category of noteworthy cases includes | | | | way, an Extended Warranty the customer might |
| vehicles with huge number of repairs over a short | | | | have had would not cover "rust or corrosion". |
| period of time like this | | | | This example is intended to demonstrate that even a |
| Dodge Intrepid with seven visits to a dealership over | | | | so common luxury - or rather convenience - feature |
| a 9,000 mile/ one year period. Or this | | | | as power windows that comes standard on more |
| Dodge Ram with five visits to the dealership with | | | | and more vehicles every year, could be a source of |
| multiple repairs per visit over 9 month/less that 3,000 | | | | a ridiculous problem caused by faulty design and/or |
| mile period. | | | | manufacturing, obviously the price of the vehicle - as |
| I could show a nice pile of 48 (!!!) repair orders for a | | | | you can see - plays no role here. Needless to say, a |
| luxury European vehicle with less that 40,000 miles | | | | window or a sunroof tends to get stuck in open |
| on the odometer but I guess the point has been | | | | position when it's snowing or raining - preferably at a |
| made... | | | | below freezing temperature. |
| Now, it's time for a few more specific real-life | | | | CONCLUSION: every extra part, or device like seat |
| examples. | | | | heaters, traction control, voice activated stereo, |
| My one-day-old work truck had unbalanced tires. | | | | pull-down trunk lid, automatic nose wiper, etc. |
| What could be more basic than balancing them??? My | | | | reduces reliability, increases maintenance costs, and |
| cat could do it. A very respected local dealer tried | | | | may be very difficult or impossible (in the best |
| four (4!!!) times, and every time damaged the rims. | | | | case-scenario - expensive) to repair in case of a |
| After the second time, I suggested that they | | | | failure. Also, a tow truck may not be equipped with |
| replaced the entire wheels since it seamed to be a | | | | any of these conveniences thus making them |
| more feasible way of dealing with the problem. Not | | | | completely useless when installed on an overall poorly |
| that easy! The truck is equipped with a nice little | | | | built vehicle. |
| feature - air pressure sensors in each stem valve on | | | | Don't get me wrong - I am not advocating slipping |
| each wheel. The sensors communicate with one of | | | | into the Stone Age but we all need to realize what |
| the on-board computers, and a warning light | | | | we are getting ourselves into, and we are in business |
| illuminates on the dashboard if pressure in any one of | | | | of helping you in making an informed and logical |
| five (spare included) tires drops below certain limit. | | | | decision when buying a used vehicle. |
| The sensors are matched with the computer, and | | | | |